Classic Chevy Hunt - Backyards and Boneyards

The Hunt For Hidden Treasure And Automotive Ghosts

Some things do go bump in the night. Take, for instance, this former grocery getter. It may look rough and cobbled, but from what we could see in the dark, the body had no real cancer spots, and most of the panels and chrome were all there. A real restoration project for sure, but not so far gone that it can't still be saved. We got out of there quick before the yard dogs smelled us and gave chase.

Road trip, January 2008: There was a discernable chill in the morning air. The sun had just crested over the horizon and was working its way into the winter sky. Yes, even in Southern California there can be a chill in the air. On this windy day we were exploring the arid dirt roads in Southern California's high desert. We weren't prospecting for gold or seeking dinosaur bones as others may do; no, we were searching for fossils of the automotive nature. Sustained by bags of rawhide jerky and large colorful cans of carbonated caffeine, we plotted our way through nearly 400 miles of paved and unpaved roads, eagle-eyeing our favorite type of automobiles, classic Chevy iron. Of course, we favor nearly all the various types of GM vehicles; our quest for this magazine was obviously Chevrolets. It's amazing how many vehicles can be found waiting and rusting, eager for the master's touch. Are you that next master?

A word about the photos you'll see in this story: We had to promise the owners that we would not reveal the secret locations of these vehicles. It doesn't matter that much, really; in any given state in the union a road trip through the rural routes will most likely yield the same results. Just watch out for the dozen or so nearly wild dogs that will give you a run for your money.

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Classic Chevy Hunt - Backyards and Boneyards

Some things do go bump in the night. Take, for instance, this former grocery getter. It may look rough and cobbled, but from what we could see in the dark, the body had no real cancer spots, and most of the panels and chrome were all there. A real restoration project for sure, but not so far gone that it can't still be saved. We got out of there quick before the yard dogs smelled us and gave chase.

Yes, I wept bitterly when I saw this '55 Chevy two-door post car sitting like this. I think I even heard it call to me. A vehicle like this would make a wicked-looking nostalgic Gasser or even a great mild custom cruiser.

Three '57 Chevys hiding behind this fence. What does the future hold for these cars? Probably nothing. I've honestly given up asking about cars like this anymore. Every owner has convinced himself that he will "fix it up someday," or they want $10,000 for a rusting hulk.

Another four-door hiding behind a barn.

Sitting in the front yard of a friend's house were a couple of Impalas.

The '65 is his next project. Since he lives up in the high desert, he knows where to find these vehicles, and he picked up this '65 for cheap.

Speaking of Camaros, this '68 SS was found not too far from the '55 post car we showed you earlier. This SS has lots of potential to still be saved. It makes us cry that it's just sitting out there rotting away.

The proverbial motherlode! Sitting in this super secret section of Area 51, we found no less than 25 F-bodies of all makes and years under the sky.

We will have to invoke the "don't ask, don't tell" policy here as well. Don't ask, because we promised the owner we would not tell.

Yes, this does make us green with envy and also filled with sadness all at once. Some of these Camaros have been sitting for more than 20 years out in the elements. What a crime.

Another beautiful two-door post car. This one looks in much better shape, and the owner assures us it will see the blacktop yet again.

This Nova was stored for at least the last decade in an indoor storage unit. The tenant renting the storage unit fell several years behind in rent and ended up owing thousands of dollars in back rent. As payment for the back rent, the vehicle owner told my friend to take his car as payment.

When the storage door was opened, this '63 Nova SS convertible was just sitting there under a layer of dust. What will you discover in a barn or storage yard near you?

Perhaps the greatest thing about finding a pair of Corvettes is that body rust is not an issue. On 1982 and earlier Corvettes, frame and A-pillar rust can be a major concern, however.

Since my high school days in the 1980s, a soft spot for the Corvair has always rested in my heart. I remember a guy who had a souped-up Corvair and how cool it was.